I'll Be There For You
by Lucy H
Summary: Monica's world fell apart when she broke up with Richard.
1. A Problem Shared...

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I'll Be There For You

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Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, but I do wish that I did.

Okay, so this takes place around the end of season two. Monica has just broken up with Richard (but no one knows), R+R are going out, and all the others are single. This is a weird, C+M idea that I have had for a while now. I have no idea where it came from; it's just been there for a while. So I decided to put myself out of my misery, and inflict pain on all of you out there. I know that this isn't much of a story, but bear with me. It may get better.

Monica sat on her bed, crying. She knew that she had decided to break up with Richard, and that she had a very good reason why, but it still wasn't easy. She had liked Richard, hell, she'd loved him. 

"Monica?" Rachel called through the door. "Are you okay?"

"Fine, fine," Monica called, trying to choke back her sobs. 

"Oh," Rachel replied. "Well, Ross and I are going down to Central Perk. Joey's meeting us there – wanna come?"

"Oh, uh, no, thanks," Monica told her. "I-I have a cold." Rachel didn't even know that she had broken up with Richard.

"See ya," Rachel called out, merrily. Monica just stared at the door, and started to cry again.

After about an hour, "Knock-knock!" called out a friendly voice. "Mon, are you in here?"

"Uh-huh," Monica sniffed. "Just a second…" She got up and left her bedroom. "Chandler, hi," she said to him.

"Are you all right, Monica?" asked Chandler, worried. She shook her head, and he held out his arms. "Oh, honey," he sighed. "You've been so distant the past few days, what's wrong? Is it Richard? Or work?"

"I-It's Richard." She felt safe in Chandler's arms. "I-we split up."

"Oh, Mon, why?" The question was inevitable. Monica had to answer it, but she didn't want to. Chandler would start to call Richard names, and Monica would have to say that he didn't know, and then… Chandler was looking at her, so she spoke.

"Okay, right, here's the deal," she choked out. "I'm pregnant. No, Richard doesn't know, but he doesn't want kids, and don't call him names, and I'm not calling him because I know how he feels about that, and to be honest, maybe I didn't love him so much as I thought anyway…"

"Monica, slow down," he coaxed. "Right, then. You're pregnant?" She nodded. "And it's Richard's right?" She nodded again, angry this time. "Ok, I just needed to know that. What are you going to do – you are gonna keep it, right?" She nodded, unable to speak. "Oh, Monica."

"I couldn't tell Rachel," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry!"

"Monica, why are you sorry? You have nothing to be sorry for." Chandler sighed, and held her close. "Monica, are you sure you're not going to tell Richard?"

"No, I can't. And besides, he's probably forgotten all about me." She knew, in her heart, that he hadn't. She wanted to tell Richard. She wanted to be with Richard again. But he didn't want children – and that meant she would have to kill the tiny new life inside of her. And that was something she was not prepared to do.

"Monica?" She looked up. "Have you told anyone?"

"No." That was that. No explanation, nothing. He didn't need one, though. "Chandler?"

"Yes?"

"Will you help me with this?" Her lip quivered, her eyes filled, ready to let fall the flow of tears that had readily come for several days.

"With what?" He had to be certain about what she meant.

"Help me raise the baby, help me with pregnancy, labour, baby clothes, whatever," she whispered. "I can't do it by myself. And Joey and Pheebs won't want to help, not really, and it would be weird doing it with my brother and his girlfriend. You're the only one I can ask."

"You need to ask?" he enquired. "Of course I will. I want to help you with everything." He held her tighter, stopping when she pulled away.

"Not to be mean, but this can't be good for the baby," she told him. 

"Oh, sorry," he whispered, letting go. He sat down on the sofa. "Come on, pregnant women need their rest. Oh – and food! You've hardly eaten for the past few days. Here, I'll get you a sandwich." He got up and busied himself in the kitchen, after making sure that Monica was seated. As he brought the sandwich over to her, she smiled up at him.

"Chandler? Thanks."

**__**

Okay, please review this. I know that it was awful, but this is what happens when you coop me up in a foreign country and give me nothing to do. The produce of a bored mind is still there, months later.

Oh, and don't say to write a longer one next time – this will be continued.


	2. An Ending And A Beginning

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I'll Be There For You

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Disclaimer: I don't own any of them.

So, this is part two. And to those who reviewed: Thank you. Oh yeah, and this is dedicated to all of those who died in those awful attacks on the WTC on September 11th. Oh, and to get the 'Siberian hamster' joke at the funeral, you have to have seen Fawlty Towers, 'Basil the Rat'. You really should have seen that anyway, it's so funny! Does this site have fanfic for Fawlty Towers? I'll check and see.

Three days later, sitting in Central Perk, Monica was surrounded by her friends. Chandler, Rachel, Ross, Phoebe and Joey were the best friends she could ask for. And then there was Gunther, who wasn't really a friend, but wasn't not a friend either.

She knew she had to tell them sometime. Sitting there, with Chandler's arm around her, she could almost believe that it wasn't happening. And then she'd feel a wave of emptiness, or Chandler would give her a look that said 'Tell them', and she'd worry again.

She opened her mouth to speak. "Guys—" she began, but was interrupted by Ross, arriving from the phone.

"Monica. I have to tell you something, but don't get angry with me, ok? All right, now, uh, Richard, he, uh, had a heart attack yesterday. And they did everything they could Monica, but Mom told me that, uh, he didn't make it." There was a little cry of horror from the gang.

"Chandler?" she choked out. 

"Oh, Monica!" cried Rachel, running over to her. She tried to hug her, but Chandler was in the way. She settled for patting her arm instead. Phoebe and Joey echoed the cry.

"I-I can't believe it. I just got over it, and now…" Monica trailed off. She wasn't so sad anymore, because she had cried all she could for Richard. She just wasn't so happy either. She knew her father would be devastated, but that her friends wouldn't really be too sad. They had never totally trusted him.

"Got over it?" Joey asked. "What do you mean?"

Monica hesitated. "I, oh God, I can't believe this, I split up with Richard, and now he's dead, and I didn't say I was sorry and oh my God."

"Oh, sweetie," Rachel patted the arm again. "I'm so sorry."

"Why?" Phoebe the unquenchable asked.

"Be-because, oh, no, uh, this is hard." She stalled. "Okay, there will never be a good time for me to tell you this, will there?" They didn't answer; they didn't know what she was talking about. "Chandler knows, I told him. Okay, uh, I'm pregnant."

"Pregnant?" asked Joey. "Whose is it?" Chandler smacked him. "What?" He realised. "Oh, sorry."

"How far along are you?" queried Rachel, and Phoebe nodded eagerly.

"About ten weeks," Monica replied. "Wow, I can't believe you're this cool about it."

"Did Richard know? Did he split up with you because of that? Cos if he did, I'm gonna go kick some dead ass," Ross said, very eloquently.

"No, he didn't know. He didn't want children, so I split up with him." Monica sighed. "Ugh, I feel sick."

"Ah, hormones," Joey said, wisely. The others all gave him odd looks, and he shrugged. "What, I delivered a baby once."

"I'm gonna go throw up." Monica fled to the bathroom. The rest of the gang looked at Chandler.

"So, why did she tell you?" asked Ross.

"Because she was crying and I asked her what the matter was." The reply was brief, and gave nothing away.

"What did you say?" This was from Phoebe.

"I told her that I would help her."

"Why?" came from Rachel. "You're scared of babies and women and commitment."

"I don't know. I wouldn't be committing to Monica; I'd just be helping out a friend." He paused. "It's not as if I'd be dating her." Although that might be nice, he added to himself. "I still don't want to commit to anyone."

"Huh?" Monica asked, as she returned from the bathroom. "So, I guess this is morning sickness."

"Have you had it before?" asked Chandler.

"No, actually. I felt a teeny bit off yesterday, but I didn't throw up," she answered. "Wow, this is pregnancy."

* * *

Three days later, Monica attended Richard's funeral, with Joey, Ross, Chandler and Phoebe. Rachel was visiting her father. It was a short, sad service, and Monica had to deal with telling her mother the news about the baby. She had asked Chandler and Ross to help her, and had decided not to tell her mother that she split up with Richard.

Straight after the service, while Joey and Phoebe were chatting to other guests, pretending to be the gay lover and long-lost Siberian hamster-turned-human of the deceased, Monica, Chandler and Ross approached Jack and Judy Gellar.

"Mom?" asked Monica.

"Oh, sweetie, I wish you'd do something with your hair," Judy snipped at her daughter.

"Mom, I think Monica has something to say," Ross stepped in for his sister.

"Yes, yes, what is it?" Judy had no time for this.

"I'm having a baby."

"Oh, my little harmonica, all grown up!" Jack said, wiping his eyes. Already sad about his friend's death, it was too much to know that his baby girl was having a baby of her own.

"Is it Richard's?" asked Judy.

"Mom!" Monica was outraged. "Of course it is. And Chandler said he'll help me look after it."

"Well, that's nice, dear." There was an awkward pause. "C'mon, Jack. There's the Obermans. I heard their eldest son just got married." With that, Mrs. Gellar bustled off, leaving Jack to follow, helplessly.

Monica stared blankly at the space where her mother had been. "That went well."

At that point, Phoebe and Joey appeared. "Wow, this is great!" Phoebe exclaimed. "Everyone thinks a Siberian hamster actually exists! It's just a rat, you know."

"And people agree that Richard was definitely gay," Joey added.

"Joey!" exclaimed Ross. "Monica is having his child, and you think he was gay?"

"It's okay, it's good to laugh, right?" Monica said, and gave a false laugh. "Ha! See, see me laugh, I'm fine, right? This laugh proves it, doesn't it prove it, I am totally over Richard, totally, I think I need to get drunk right about now." She was about to go off to the drink table when Chandler pulled her back.

"Hey, hey, Miss Gellar, you can't hurt that little baby in there by drinking, can you?" She shook her head. "Right, now we're going back to your apartment, and you're going to stay there until you have stopped grieving."

"I'm not grieving, I'm over him, I'm fine, I'm Monica, I've never been better," Monica babbled. "I'm having a baby, I have to be good for the baby, my baby, Richard's baby, oh I miss him…" She began to sob, and Joey turned away, embarrassed.

"Right, that's it, you're coming home," Chandler told her. "See you guys," he told the rest of them, and they left.

When they arrived back at Monica's apartment, she had stopped crying. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to… go all weird back there." 

"It's okay."

"Chandler, I was nearly right, I am nearly over Richard, and _then_, I promise, I'll be a mom to this baby. And," she added, shyly, "if you want, you can be the dad – not like, us married, or anything," she hastened to add, "I just mean, like, be there for it when it needs you."

"Of course," Chandler said. "See, I am not scared about this because I'm not committing, right? I'm just saying I'll look after you and a baby. This isn't scary."

"It's not," Monica smiled. "Yeah, we can get through this."

**__**

Ok, the sappiness is over. Actually it wasn't as bad as I thought. I thought it would have more sap. What did you think then? Review it please!!! And I will write more, it isn't finished.


	3. Glimpse Of New Life

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I'll Be There For You

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Disclaimer: I don't own them.

Thanks for the reviews. I'm glad the 'dead ass' made someone laugh! Anyway, on with the story.

Two weeks after the funeral, Monica had her first sonogram. She took Chandler along with her. They were both excited and nervous, worried about the health of the baby, excited to finally see the new life inside Monica, and above all, thrilled that this was the first step into a new life. It wasn't Chandler's baby, but it would be his new life. Monica had made it certain that she wanted him to help her at every step of the way. She didn't want Ross, nor Joey, but Chandler. And that made Chandler feel so wanted and loved. The Chandler from a few months back would have been scared of that, but this new Chandler (the one whose best friend was having a baby) was happy about it. He wasn't sure how or why he had changed, he just knew that he had. And Monica noticed it too. She was happy about it; she didn't want her child to grow up knowing the commitment-phobic, using women, chain-smoking Chandler. She wanted her child to grow up knowing the loving, caring, funny Chandler.

"So, Mon, where do we go?" asked Chandler as they entered the hospital.

"I'd guess that way," Monica pointed.

"Why?"

"Because of that sign," she replied, pointing to a sign saying 'Maternity'. Chandler nodded, and they soon arrived in the maternity section. A nurse directed them into a small room, and the doctor arrived a few minutes later.

"Hi, my name is Dr Allen, and I'll be your doctor for the next few months, Mrs. Gellar," the woman told her, with a pleasant voice. She was quite tall, with a nice face and long ginger hair. "So, is this Mr. Gellar?"

There was an awkward pause. Monica finally broke it. "No, see, I'm _Ms_ Gellar – but call me Monica, please – and this is Chandler Bing."

"Oh, and is Mr. Bing the father?"

"Yes," Monica lied. Maybe not biologically, but the baby would grow up being closest to Uncle Chandler. She ignored Chandler's look.

"Well, there's your baby, Monica," Dr Allen told Monica after a few minutes of messing around with machines. 

"Wow," Monica breathed, feeling as if she might cry. Chandler squeezed her shoulder and kissed her forehead.

"Do you want to know the sex?" asked the doctor.

"Do we?" repeated Chandler. Monica looked dubious. "Can we talk about that for a second?" he asked the doctor. She nodded.

"Well?" Monica asked. "I mean, it's sort of your baby as well. I want you to have a say in this."

"I think we should wait," Chandler told her. "It's more traditional, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I think that as well. And we can always choose names for boys and girls, and we can decorate the nursery in neutral colours," Monica said. "Dr Allen? We'd like to not know yet." The doctor assented, and they left.

* * *

Back at Monica's, Rachel, Chandler and Monica discussed several things.

"Where will the baby sleep?" asked Rachel. "Y'know, I don't mind moving out. I could live with Ross or Phoebe."

"That might be best," Monica said, slowly. "Maybe I better call them and ask them to come over. I have some things to say." She picked up the phone and dialled Ross. "Ross? Yeah, it's Monica. Could you come over for a while? Yeah, now. Ok, see ya." She hung up. "Ross is coming. Chandler, could you go fetch Joey?" He smiled, nodded and left. Monica dialled again. "Hi, Phoebe? Yeah, Monica. D'ya wanna come over to my place for a while? Yeah, I need to talk to you. Ok, see you in a few minutes."

Ten minutes later, everyone was assembled in Monica's kitchen. "So, what is it?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah, I was just about to call this really hot girl," Joey whined. "Man, but this sandwich more than makes up for it! What's in here?"

"Mustard, lettuce, bacon, ham, pork, beef, cheese and cucumber," Monica the chef told him. "I can't imagine eating anything as awful as that." She paused. "Right, on with the story. Okay, so Rachel, uh, has to move because of the baby needing somewhere to sleep."

"You can live with me," Phoebe jumped in. "I get lonely." Rachel smiled gratefully at her. 

"And then I need a name for the baby, but that can wait—" The gang took no notice of the last bit. Names were fired around the room.

"Joseph or Josephine! Oh, no The Hulk!" were Joey's contributions.

"Exxon!" Phoebe announced. "Works for a boy or a girl."

"Rebecka," Ross said. "Or Thomas."

Rachel's ideas were "Lauren, Leanne or Lukas."

"How about Helena?" Chandler suggested. "Or Matthew."

"Be quiet," Monica ordered. "We can think of names later. I needed to say that I – well, thanks for being so kind about this baby thing. And, I am going to need a lot of help with the baby. Chandler said he'll help, but Pheebs, Rach, will you help as well? Cos Chandler's, well, he's Chandler."

Phoebe and Rachel nodded in agreement. "We'll help."

"We all will, Mon," Ross told his little sister. "Just you wait and see."

* * *

A week later, Chandler was helping Monica pick out a colour scheme for the baby's room – Rachel's room. Rachel was moving the next day, but Monica wanted to get ahead with things. 

"I like the blue," Chandler said. "It's perfect."

"No, I think the yellow's more, more, I don't know, neutral, I guess." Monica sighed, and flipped a page in the magazine. She flopped back onto her bed, and Chandler flopped right next to her. 

"Ugh, this is hard," he said. "I mean, a boy shouldn't have pink, but a girl shouldn't have blue. And the yellow just looks – bleurgh!"

"How about this?" Monica asked, rolling over so that they were nose to nose. "White with just little bits of colour. We can change it when the baby's born."

Chandler smiled, and moved closer. The next thing they knew, their lips met. They were holding each other, kissing as if there was no tomorrow.

**__**

So, what do you think? I hope you like it, please review.


	4. Sealed With A Kiss

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I'll Be There For You

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Disclaimer: I don't own them.

Thanks for the nice reviews. This part carries on directly after the part before – i.e., Chandler and Monica are still on the bed kissing.

Monica enjoyed the kiss. She wanted to stay there forever, kissing Chandler, the man who was so kind to her, the man who she had had a crush on practically forever. But she panicked. She didn't want to ruin her friendship with Chandler. So she did the worst possible thing. She pulled away, and got up. "I, uh, I think you should go now, bye-bye, see you later, tell Joey hi for me," she babbled, pushing Chandler to her door.

"Monica, I-I don't know what happened, but I am so sorry," Chandler said. He wanted to carry on kissing her, go further maybe. He was rapidly finding Monica very attractive – she didn't even look pregnant yet. He didn't want to just 'score' with a hot girl though – he wanted to have a relationship with Monica. He could even get over his commitment fear, as long as Monica was at his side. If Monica was there, she would be patient. She loved him—huh? He didn't mean to think _that_. Where did that come from? She loved him as a friend – that was it, certainly.

"No, no, you have to leave, I'm sorry, I can't…" Monica trailed off. She pushed Chandler out of the apartment, and sat down, crying into the sofa. 

"I shouldn't have done that!" she thought, wildly. "I've just lost my best friend, I was falling for him, I like him, I mean '_like'_ like him, I can't get along without his help…" Her thoughts were cut off by more sobs. Rachel came in and saw the small, sodden lump on the sofa.

"Mon?" she asked. "Is it the baby?" For she had a sudden vision of Monica miscarrying the last memory of Richard.

"No…" wailed Monica. "I-I-I-I…" She couldn't get any further.

"I'm fetching Chandler," Rachel declared, making for the door.

"No, no, don't!" Monica sobbed. "H-he…"

"Monica E. Gellar, tell me what's going on or I ring your mother," Rachel ordered. 

"I-I, Chandler, he-he kissed me, I kissed him," Monica sobbed into the sofa. "I-I think I'm falling for him."

"Wow. So why are you crying?" Rachel was puzzled.

"I was scared – I panicked," Monica said, her sobs dying down. "I told him to leave, and I think – I think that he thought I don't like him. I think he thought I thought he was taking advantage and I don't know what to do, Rachel, oh, please, I need help!" This last sentence grew faster and shriller. Monica was desperate.

"Oh, Monica." Rachel hugged her friend. She paused. "Well, I think you should tell Chandler how you feel. You don't want this to hang over you, do you?"

Monica shook her head and wiped her eyes. She reached for a tissue and left the apartment in silence.

* * *

Five-and-a-half hours later, Chandler entered the apartment. Rachel was there by herself. "Hey Rach," he told her, glumly.

"Hey yourself. Did Monica find you?"

"What? D-did she tell you?" Chandler asked, worried.

"About the kiss? Yeah. Women talk, you know, sweetie," Rachel laughed. "So, how did it go? Did you feel the same? What are you gonna do now?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Chandler said.

"You mean – Monica didn't come and see you? Didn't tell you she was falling for you?" Rachel asked.

"No," Chandler said, clearly thinking that Rachel was off the rails.

"She's been gone over five hours – I thought you two were together, y'know, doing stuff," Rachel confessed. Truth to tell, she had been hoping that Monica and Chandler would fall in love for several weeks now. She could see the signs – she wasn't a soap opera fan for nothing.

"Five hours?" he exclaimed. "We have to find her!" 

"No kidding," agreed Rachel. "She's a depressed pregnant woman, she needs care." 

The two of them left the apartment and descended into the city. They asked everyone they saw, they went into Central Perk, they visited Monica's work, they looked everywhere. Forty-five minutes into searching, it was dark, they were tired, and they had to give up. That didn't mean that they wanted to though. Rachel was almost crying with frustration, and Chandler wasn't much better.

"I can't believe we lost Monica," Rachel sighed.

"No." Chandler seemed oddly distracted. Truth to tell, he realised that he was falling for the absent Monica, who he couldn't find. He hoped that she would come home soon.

That night, he cried himself to sleep.

* * *

The following morning, Chandler and Rachel told the rest of the gang about Monica's disappearance. Phoebe was shocked, but said that Monica would surely turn up. Joey cancelled a date with a hot pole dancer to help look for her, and Ross just sat in silence, unable to believe it.

The gang spent that day in Monica and Rachel's apartment, not going into work, just sitting by the phone. On one occasion, Chandler disappeared into his apartment, and came back with his own cordless phone. 

"I wanted to keep this phone here," Chandler told them. "And I just rang the police."

"Good idea, man," Ross replied.

"Not really. They won't take any notice until she's been missing for forty-eight hours." He looked glum. "Oh, God, she could be anywhere – it's all my fault." He had told everyone all that happened with The Kiss. "I wish she'd come back, and then I could tell her… tell her that I think I've fallen in love with her."

"You don't have to wish," said a soft voice from behind him. "I just needed a little time to realise that – that I love you too." Looking radiant, Monica swept past Ross and Joey on the sofa, and sealed her words to Chandler with a loving kiss.

When they broke apart, Chandler smiled, picked up Monica, and carried her into her room. Hearing the giggles and happy moans, the rest of the gang quietly left the apartment, leaving the happy lovers to themselves.


	5. He Asks

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I'll Be There For You

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Disclaimer: I don't own them.

So, thanks for the reviews again. I'm glad that people like this series. This follows on about three months after the last one – so Rachel and Phoebe live together, Chandler and Monica are seriously dating, and Monica is showing cos she is seven months pregnant. The only reason this one is so far ahead is because nothing important happened in the other three months. 

Oh, and if there are any problems with the medical side of this, I am in year nine and useless at any type of science. I don't know any pregnant women, so I don't know anything that could happen. 

"So, what are you gonna call the baby?" asked Joey for the hundredth time. They were all in Central Perk, drinking coffee. Chandler had insisted that Monica not drink anything with caffeine in it, and made her drink milk instead because "it builds up the baby's bones". 

"I don't know," Monica snapped. When Joey gave her a hurt look, she sighed. "Sorry, mood swings."

"You really should think about names," Ross told her.

"I don't know."

"Here, here," Phoebe said, reaching into her bag and giving something to Monica. 

"'_1000 Baby Names_'?" Chandler read over Monica's shoulder. "Are you serious? Monica doesn't want to name her baby out of a book."

"Ross has the Big Book of Names, don'tcha Ross?" Rachel teased.

"Yes I do," Ross replied seriously. "And if Monica wants to borrow it, she may."

"Ooh, may she?" Rachel teased again. "How can she contain her excitement?"

"Guys, guys," Monica butted in. "I can decide." She opened the book to a random page. "Names beginning with X. Xavier. Xloridee – what kind of a name is that?"

Phoebe looked over. "Oh, I added that one in." She flipped over a few pages. "And that one – and that one –"

"So it's not '_1000 Baby Names_'," Chandler quipped. "It's '_1000 Baby Names With A Few Of Phoebe's Suggestions_'."

"Exactly," Phoebe agreed, not getting the sarcasm.

"I can't decide on a name here and now," Monica told her friends. "Chandler and I will decide on a name."

"Why Chandler?" asked Ross, jealously. "He's not the father."

"But he is going to help a lot," Chandler himself put in. "And he will enjoy it – and he will now stop calling himself 'he'."

Monica stood up and pulled Chandler to his feet. "We've got to go," she informed the gang. "I've got a check-up."

The two of them left, chatting happily about the future. As they were sitting in the taxicab, Monica looked at Chandler. "I have a question," she said, shyly.

"What is it?" Chandler asked, lazily. He was sitting back, relaxing, and in the presence of the woman he loved. What more could a guy want?

"Would you – would you like to be the baby's father?" Monica queried.

Chandler was intrigued. "How? You've already passed the conception."

Monica laughed nervously. "No, I mean – would you like to have your name put on the birth certificate and call the baby 'Bing'?" She paused. "I know, it's not totally legal, but I just think it would be perfect. I mean, the baby's not ever going to know Richard, but you'll be it's father in every other sense, and it just fits." 

Chandler was speechless. Eventually, he managed to whisper, "Yes," in the softest and most loving tone of voice Monica had ever heard. He sealed his words with a kiss that became more and more heated, but before it had a chance to continue, they had arrived at the hospital.

Like pros, the happy couple made their way down to the maternity section, and seated themselves in the waiting room. Just as before, Dr Allen emerged, greeted them, and took them through to a small room, where two other doctors joined them. She set up the monitors and they saw the baby.

Monica beamed and Chandler, looking at her ecstatic face, felt just as happy. After a few more tweaks with the machine and several questions, Dr Allen let them go. They walked out of the consulting room with happy smiles on their faces, and feeling great about life.

"Wow – that was our child," Monica said, joyously. "Our child."

"_Our_ child?" asked Chandler.

"Yes, our child – half yours, half mine." Monica took his hand as they walked towards their taxi. "I promise, I will let you have as much say in this child's life as I do. You'll be more involved than the biological father, anyway," she added, laughing. They discussed this throughout the taxi ride home, and then, when they arrived back into Monica's apartment, they had decided something. They were going to forget that Chandler was not the baby's father, and they would be equal parents of the child – their child.

Once Monica had summed this up, Chandler sat her down on a sofa, and smiled at her. Then he did something that Monica had never before thought he would ever do. He got down on one knee.

"Monica Gellar, will you marry me?"

**__**

Oh, aren't I mean to leave it when the story was just hotting up? Sorry, I couldn't resist. There will be more added within the next week. Please review – thanx!


	6. She Replies

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I'll Be There For You

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Disclaimer: I don't own them.

Okay, this carries on from where we left off. I'm glad that people like this by the way! Oh, and I don't know who Monica's godfather really is, so I just made it up.

Monica was stunned. "You – you mean it?" she asked. He nodded eagerly. She kissed him quickly. "Then yes."

"Yes?" Chandler repeated.

"Yes," laughed Monica. "Come on, I love you more than I've ever loved anyone else, why should I not say yes?"

"I don't know," Chandler gabbled. "I-I just never thought that you would want to marry – me. I always thought you'd marry someone older, someone like, uh, like…"

"Richard?"

"Yeah, I guess." He swallowed. "So you mean it? You want to marry me?"

"God, yes!" Monica told him, beaming with joy. "I've told you three times." Chandler grinned, and slipped a beautiful ring onto her finger.

"I spent ages shopping for it," he told her, proudly. "I guess that's what it feels like to be my dad –shopping for jewellery."

She laughed, and kissed him again.

He put his arm around her, and looked her in the eye. "You wanna go tell the others?"

"Hell yeah," she replied.

* * *

The newly engaged couple ran down to Central Perk, where they guessed the others would be. They were right. Ross and Rachel were bickering about some girl from a copy place – apparently Ross had 'looked' at her. Phoebe was telling Joey about one of her past lives.

"Wow – you were a hooker?" Joey exclaimed.

"Well, kinda. They called me an 'immoral wench' in those days, though." Phoebe's eyes were shining. Joey was the only one who ever believed in her past lives.

"Guys, guys, I have – we have," Monica corrected herself, "big news."

"Ooh, ooh, I know!" Phoebe cried. "You're pregnant!"

"Wow, the bump is such a give-away," Chandler said, sarcastically. "We all know she's pregnant. Our news is that we're en—"

"We're engaged!" Monica cut in, showing her new ring. Chandler gave her a slightly odd look. "Hey, I wanted to tell it," she explained.

"Engaged?" asked Rachel. "Really?" She craned her neck to see the ring. "Wow, nice ring. Must've cost a fortune, Chandler." 

He nodded. "She's worth it," he replied.

"So you're really engaged?" Rachel queried again.

"Yes really," said Monica, testily.

"Are you sure?" Ross questioned.

"Of course," Chandler confirmed. "Why is it so hard to believe?"

"Because you," pointing to Chandler, "are a commitment phobic kinda guy, and you," pointing to Monica, "are having someone else's kid," Joey summed it up.

"I'm sure they never knew that," Ross sighed.

"Hey, maybe they didn't," Phoebe defended Joey.

"Be quiet," Monica ordered. "Now, I think we should have a December wedding, which means we'll have to get going, cos it's November now. I think we should have the wedding before the baby's born, and…"

"Hey, it's my wedding too," Chandler said. As Monica shot him an evil look, he hurriedly added, "But hey, that sounds great. I love that idea. Go with that."

"Wow – can I be maid of honour?" Rachel asked.

"Uh, I-I, well, that is…" Monica stalled.

"If she gets to be maid of honour, I can play my guitar," Phoebe said.

"Okay," Monica said, in her typical, Monica way.

"And can I be best man?" Joey whined. "I _really_ wanna be a best man! Do _not_ make Ross your best man!"

"Fine with me," Ross said. "But I have to be—"

"How about if you're both my best man," Chandler interrupted shyly. 

"Hey! I am _not_ becoming part of Ross!" Joey yelled, amidst the laughter of Rachel and Monica.

"I meant, why don't I have two best men?" Chandler explained.

"Oh. Yeah, I'll go with that." Joey went red. "I have to, uh, use the bathroom." He left.

"Wow… married, huh?" Ross said, casually. "Y'know, Chandler, before I married Carol, her godfather said one thing to me. And since Monica's godfather was Richard, and he's, well, not alive, I think _I_ should say this to you, Chandler."

"What would have happened if Monica had married Richard?" Phoebe pointed out.

"He might have found it hard to chop off his own head," Ross replied. "Right, Chandler, if you ever treat Monica badly, I will chop off your head."

Monica snorted with laughter, and Rachel howled. Phoebe giggled, and Chandler laughed out loud. "Where would you get an axe?" howled Rachel.

"I have one," Phoebe said, opening her bag. She took out a large axe, and handed it to Ross. 

"An axe?" Joey yelled, coming back from the bathroom. "Ah! Ross will kill us all! Run for your lives!" He ran out of Central Perk.

* * *

That night, lying in bed, Monica and Chandler talked. They _really_ talked, not just chatted.

"I think you should move in here," Monica said, suddenly. They had been discussing Ross and Rachel, and this was an abrupt change of subject.

"Yeah, why not," Chandler assented. "If we're gonna get married, we can't live in separate apartments."

"I also think that we should have a small wedding," Monica sighed. "I'd love a big one, but if we're going to get married within the next two months, I think we'd better have a small one. Just the gang and some of our relatives."

"Which ones?" Chandler asked, apprehensively.

"Your mom, my parents, and that's it." 

"Oh, I'll go with that," Chandler agreed. "Y'know, I always thought you'd want a huge wedding – everyone you ever met being there, and in a huge church."

"Well, I'd like one, but we could _not_ plan that in a month. And maybe we shouldn't get married in a church, cos it's not like we ever go, is it?" she pointed out.

"Yeah, I guess. A little registry office, then?"

She nodded and kissed him. "We'll book it tomorrow." She kissed him again, and they giggled, rolling over and over in the bed, happy that they were going to get married, happy that they could tell people about their new loves.


	7. Promise of Life

****

I'll Be There For You

__

Disclaimer: I don't own them.

This is set the day after they got engaged and told the gang, etc. In other words, it follows on a day after the last part.

The following day, they booked the wedding. Set for December 3rd, they had to hurry with the invitations and other arrangements.

Monica wrote out the seven invitations straight after booking the wedding. She had had a few packs of wedding invitations in her bottom drawer for years, along with some home pregnancy tests. 

The next thing she did was to ring Rachel. "Rach, hi, it's Monica."

"Mon, hi!" Rachel sounded very chirpy. "I've got great news, but what do you want, first?"

"Well, we've set the date of the wedding," Monica began.

"Yay! When?" 

"December 3rd, only a small thing in a registry office, are you free then?" Monica hoped she was. It wouldn't be a wedding without Rachel.

"Hell yeah," Rachel replied. Monica laughed at Rachel's eagerness.

"Are you free today?" she asked. "Cos I want to go shopping for a dress, and you'll need one as well, if you're my maid of honour. And can you ask Pheebs too?"

"Clothes shopping?" Rachel asked, excitedly. "We're coming! We'll be over in ten minutes! I can tell you my news, as well."

Monica smiled, hung up, and sent Chandler off to work. When the girls arrived, Monica looked at Rachel.

"What's the news?"

"Ross proposed last night," Rachel announced, happily. Monica hugged her friend, joyously. "But we won't get married for ages yet – a year at least." They discussed Rachel's news all the way to the shops. 

"Not a white dress," Monica pleaded. "It's not that kind of wedding."

"How about that?" Phoebe immediately suggested, pointing at a lacy white dress. Monica ignored her, and picked up a red dress. Rachel chose a gold one, and Phoebe, after much deliberation, went for a blue one. They all tried them on.

Monica looked amazing in the red dress. It was a long, strappy dress, that was quite tight, but stretchy. It would fit her on the day, and she could just imagine Chandler's face when he saw it. Rachel's short, strapless dress looked great on her, but then everything looked great on Rachel. Phoebe's dress was long, blue with pale blue swirls on it and had long sleeves. All three girls loved the dresses, and, regardless of the cost, bought them.

* * *

Back home, Monica was watching Chandler move his stuff into her – no, _their_ – apartment. He wasn't letting her help; the only thing she had been allowed to carry was a photo. A nice photo, of the two of them, taken about five years ago. Monica smiled as she realised that they had always acted like a couple – they had always been very close. Chandler had always put his arm around her when they sat together, she had always called him sweetie or honey, and they had often done things together. They had always known each other's secrets. It was as though they were destined to be together. She mentioned that to Chandler.

"Yeah, it's destiny," he said, dreamily, holding his fiancée close. As he said that, the baby gave a kick.

"Is that part of the destiny?" asked Monica. "Me getting pregnant by another man, he gets killed, we fall in love?"

"I don't know, it sounds kinda like a soap opera," Chandler laughed. "A corny one."

"But – do you mind that the baby isn't yours?" Monica had wanted to ask this for a long time.

"It's taking my name, I'm married to its mother, it's as near mine as we can get." He held Monica closer, and the baby kicked again.

"Yep, we're gonna be a family," Monica whispered. "Just like I've always wanted."

* * *

On the morning of the wedding, Monica woke up alone. Chandler had spent the night with Joey – she grimaced as that image went through her head. Yuck. She didn't mean it like that. Chandler had stayed in his old room in Joey's apartment. She sighed, and got out of bed. She was eight months pregnant; Baby Bing was nearly ready to come into the world. She wished that it would. Being pregnant was no piece of cake. Her back ached, she had a strange pain in her stomach today, and her feet hurt and she couldn't even see them. At least she could fit into the dress.

She walked around the apartment a bit, and then began to eat breakfast. Rachel and Phoebe were going to arrive any minute, more to keep her company than for any other reason. She had just finished her cereal when there was a knock on the door.

"Morning," Rachel announced. "You're getting married in two hours. Excited?"

"_Oh_ yeah!" Monica cried, jumping up and down slightly. "Let's get dressed."

When they were all ready, Rachel gave them another piece of gossip. "Ross says that Carol and Susan want him to help them have another child."

"And you aren't jealous?" Monica asked.

"No. Well, not really, I mean he is having sex with his ex-wife, but, then, she _is_ a lesbian and has a wife of her own, so it doesn't matter." Rachel grinned. "So anyway, we'd better go to the registry office now."

It was only a short distance away, so they walked. When they arrived, everything was ready. Monica saw Chandler, and ran up to him. They had to talk to the registrar first, and then the ceremony would begin. The registrar didn't really seem interested in Chandler and Monica; she was just interested in getting the wedding done and over with. That was fine with Monica. Even though they weren't having a honeymoon (they couldn't fly anywhere because of Monica's condition) she still wanted to be married, to be Mrs. Chandler Bing.

The ceremony was short and simple. Everything went by the book, except for the vows, which Monica and Chandler had written. Monica cried when she had to say hers.

"Chandler, I never imagined that I would ever fall in love with you, let alone marry you, but now that I'm doing that, I think it's so wonderful and I can't believe that my dream has come true. I love you more than I have ever loved anyone before and I know that you feel the same way. I want to spend my whole life with you, and I hope you feel the same." She sobbed, and Chandler said his.

"Monica, I agree with every word you just said there. I have always had a tiny crush on you, because, well, because you're so hot, I guess. But I don't just think you're hot. You are, of course, but I love you because you're you, you're Monica, and that's why I love you, not just because you're beautiful."

They kissed, and the registrar announced that they were lawfully married. "Mr. and Mrs. Chandler Bing."

Monica was so happy, and she knew that Chandler felt the same as they set off on the short walk home. As they reached home, with the rest of the gang by their sides, she felt a strange sensation in her stomach, accompanied by a sudden wetness. She knew what it was.

"Chandler. I think the baby's coming."


	8. First Cry

****

I'll Be There For You

__

Disclaimer: I don't own them.

Okay, this comes straight after the one before – does that make sense? Oh, you all know what I mean! 

"T-the baby's coming?" stammered Chandler. "Oh, God…" He ran around the room, and eventually stopped at the phone. "What do I do, what, what, what?"

"Ring for an ambulance," Monica sighed, gritting her teeth.

"Y-you really going into labour?" Rachel asked.

"Well, I think so," Monica said, wincing as pain washed over her. "I've had a pain all morning, and then my water just broke, and now – ouch! – I think I'm having contractions."

"Don't those hurt?" Phoebe asked, sympathetically. Monica winced again. "Yeah, no, just wondering."

"Don't…" Monica moaned in pain. 

Chandler came back from the phone. "911 say to take a cab."

"Helpful," Ross remarked. "I think this is going quite fast, you know. With Carol, it took hours."

The gang trooped outside to get a cab. They managed to hail one and jumped in, after Chandler checked that he had money. After much moaning from Monica, they arrived at the hospital, where Monica was ushered into a wheelchair and through to maternity.

The rest of the gang settled down in the waiting room. "Could be here for a while," Joey mused, remembering Carol's labour. "Hey, I wonder if I could deliver any more babies?"

Rachel sighed. "Not even any cute doctors." Ross cleared his throat. "Not that I'd want to see them, obviously," she added.

Monica and Chandler were in a delivery room. Monica was crying with fear and wincing with pain. "Chandler," she whispered. "If I yell at you, I'm sorry."

"Why are you gonna yell?" Chandler asked.

"Well, people on TV always yell, so I thought that was what people do in labour," Monica said, with a slight giggle. She suddenly yelped. "Wow! This does hurt!"

"Don't worry," Chandler sympathised. "That's why the doctors are here."

"I know," Monica sighed. "Ugh. I feel awful, I have pain shooting across my stomach every two minutes, I just ruined my wedding dress – and I have a mess on the floor of the apartment!" She freaked out, and began to cry. Chandler patted her shoulder.

Dr Allen entered. "Miss Gellar, Mr. Bing, hi!"

"Mr. and Mrs. Bing today," Monica said through her tears.

"Congratulations," the doctor smiled. "When was the big day?"

"Today," Monica sighed. She gritted her teeth and let out a small yelp of pain. "Do you have any drugs for the pain?"

"Lots – but you wanted a natural birth," the doctor said. "You haven't been booked in for any drugs – not unless there are complications."

"Uh-huh," Monica moaned. 

"Mon, look at it this way," Chandler coaxed. "When all this is over, you'll have a baby. We'll have a baby."

* * *

Back in the waiting room, the others were getting bored. "Are your parents coming, Ross?" asked Joey.

"No, I ran them, but they had a Bible class straight after the wedding," Ross said. 

"But they don't believe in God," Rachel pointed out.

"I know. I can't believe they don't want to see their only daughter give birth," Ross sighed. "I mean, I know they don't get on, but Monica is going to be so depressed."

"Ross, Monica is going to have a baby," Phoebe pointed out. "A _baby_. She won't be depressed, cos that's what she's wanted ever since she _was_ one."

"Yeah, and she's got the man she loves to share it with," Rachel said.

"Who just happens to be thirty years younger than the baby's father," Joey added, helpfully. Ross and Rachel glared at him. "Hey, what? It's true," he protested.

* * *

A few hours later, Monica was still in labour. It was the most painful experience of her life. Chandler's hand was really suffering.

"Oh, this hurts!" she screamed, tears running down her face. "Why did I let this happen?"

"Come on, sweetie," Chandler encouraged her.

Monica felt a strong desire to punch him. He didn't know what it was like; it wasn't even his child. Her feelings of hatred evaporated as he kissed her head. "I love you, Monica," he whispered.

"I-I love you too… Ow!" Monica winced as another contraction hit her. She relaxed a few seconds later. "Chandler, maybe you should tell the others to go home, cos I mean – ow! – I mean, this could take a _long_ time. And it must be pretty boring for them." She finished with a yelp of pain.

"You sure?" Chandler asked, uncertainly. "I-I don't want to leave you, Monica."

"No, go… ow!" Monica replied, ending with a yell. She breathed in deeply and spoke again. "I'll still be here when you get back," she quipped.

"Good, don't go going anywhere," her new husband smiled. He kissed her head once more, and left the delivery room. Ross and Rachel stopped their talking and Phoebe and Joey looked up expectantly.

"Any baby news?" Joey asked, as the others all nodded eagerly.

"No," Chandler began, "But Monica says you should go home, cos it's going to be a long time before the baby comes, and you've been here three hours already."

"How long?" Phoebe asked, referring to the baby.

"A few hours, they reckon," Chandler sighed. "She's in so much pain. But she seems so – so happy, I guess." He paused. "Well, it's what she's always wanted."

"What, a lot of pain?" Joey mused. He thought for a second. "Oh! You mean a baby, right?" Chandler nodded. "Ah – I thought so."

"Are you sure you want us to go?" Rachel queried. "I mean, maybe Ross and I should stay, just make sure you're both okay?"

"Well, Monica wants you to go, but I'm sure she won't complain if you two wanna stay," decided Chandler. 

"No, I better stay," Ross said. "It's not my day for taking care of Ben or anything. Hey! He's gonna have a new cousin!"

"Yeah – quick, aren'tcha?" Rachel quipped sarcastically. "I'll stay – Pheebs, Joe?"

"I wanna stay," Joey whined. 

"I have a massage client," Phoebe said. "But he's not that yummy, so I'll stay." 

"I better get back to my wife," he said, and left. Rachel picked up a magazine and leafed through it, Ross looking over her shoulder, and Joey and Phoebe wandered off to find food.

* * *

Several hours later, Monica was ready to push. Dr Allen smiled at her. "Okay – first push, Monica," she said.

Taking a deep breath, Monica pushed, and howled with the pain. "Oh God, oh God, this hurts!" she screamed. "I, y'know, I think the baby can stay in, y'know, ow-ow-ow-ow-ow!"

"It's been in there long enough," Chandler joked. Monica and the doctor gave him evil looks. "I'm shutting up now," he added.

After another few pushes, all of which felt as though Monica was trying to push watermelons through her lower regions, the doctor announced that the head was through.

"The head, Monica, we have a head!" Chandler gasped in joy. Monica smiled weakly. She continued to gasp in pain and push, until an extraordinary sound was heard. A newborn baby's first cry. After a few seconds, a small bundle in a white blanket was handed to Monica.

"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Bing. It's a girl." 

**__**

There will be more to come in this series – it's not finished yet! Please review, anyway, and give suggestions for the baby's name if you want, cos I'm stuck for ideas.


	9. I'll Be There For You

****

I'll Be There For You

__

Disclaimer: I don't own them.

Carried directly on – well, a few minutes between them, I guess.

Chandler ran out into the waiting room. The other four were all there, now bored, but their faces lit up when they saw a joyful-looking Chandler approaching them.

"It's a girl!" 

They followed him through to see Monica and the baby. She lay there, tired but happy, with her new daughter cradled in her arms, and smiling to see her friends.

"Hello, Mrs. Bing, baby Bing," Rachel joked.

"Hi," Monica whispered. "Hush… baby's sleeping."

"Any names?" asked Phoebe, quietly.

"Yep – Bing," Chandler laughed.

"What – no others?" Ross asked. "Anyway, shouldn't it be 'Burke'?"

"Why?" Monica asked. "I'm married to Chandler, and Chandler is going to be the baby's father, so why should the baby be 'Burke' and Chandler and I and any other children we have be 'Bing'?"

"Because the child is meant to take the father's surname," Ross explained.

"What about Ben?" Phoebe asked, and Ross fell silent.

Joey broke the pause. "So, any _real_ names?"

Monica smiled, and moved the baby slightly. "Not yet, sorry." 

"She's so sweet!" Rachel cooed, bending to see the baby.

"Wanna hold her?" Monica queried. Rachel nodded and eagerly took the baby.

"Wow – she's heavy," she commented. The baby stirred a little, opened bright blue eyes, and began to pull at Rachel's hair. Phoebe helped remove the tiny fingers and handed her back to Monica. 

"Congratulations," Phoebe whispered. "She's beautiful, Mon." And she really was. A tiny little thing, with jet-black tufts of hair and large, bright blue eyes, she looked just like Monica.

"Maybe we'd better go," Ross said, after a few minutes of more baby-worship. Monica was looking tired, and the baby was whimpering slightly. The rest of the gang nodded, and the four of them trooped out, leaving Monica, her husband and her new baby alone.

Chandler leaned down and kissed his new wife. "A wife and a daughter on the same day," he laughed. She smiled up at him, and made room on the bed for him.

"We'd better think of a name," Monica whispered, handing her daughter to Chandler.

"How about Kelly?" Chandler asked.

"Too boring. Michelle?" 

"She doesn't look like a Michelle. Jenna?"

"Oh, that's nice!" Monica agreed. "Jenna Bing. It's got a nice ring to it. How about Alexia for a middle name?"

"Jenna Alexia Bing – cute," Chandler assented. "Hi Jenna," he smiled at his almost daughter. "She looks so much like you, Mon," he added.

"We have to thank her one day," Monica told Chandler, snuggling up to him and stroking her daughter's black hair.

"What for?" Chandler was puzzled. 

Monica smiled at him. "Because if it wasn't for Jenna, I wouldn't have dumped Richard, I wouldn't have been upset, I wouldn't have fallen in love with you. And I can never say how happy I am that I fell in love with you."

Chandler kissed her before replying. A loving kiss, tender and gentle. Monica felt herself melting inside. Finally, Chandler pulled away, and spoke. "I think we were meant for each other, Monica. I don't know what I'd do if I didn't know you. You've always helped me, and I value that more than I can say."

Monica put the baby down, and hugged him. "I feel exactly the same." She looked at the clock in the corner of the room. "Wow – this is still our wedding day, you know. And our wedding night," she added teasingly.

"We can't – not here," Chandler said. "Much as I'd love to."

"I know – and I don't really feel up to it tonight, but it's amazing, isn't it? I mean, in one day, I've got married and become a mom." She cuddled baby Jenna to her. "And I think it's wonderful. I've got the man I love by my side, and my daughter in my arms." She smiled up at Chandler. "You're my soulmate, you know."

"I think you've been talking to Phoebe," Chandler joked. She hit him lightly. "No, I know what you mean. I think the same." He paused. "And I love our daughter."

They were silent for a while, until Monica broke the silence with a giggle. "What's so funny?" her new husband asked.

"Just – just…" Monica paused to collect herself. She took a deep breath. "Remember how you said you'd be there for me when ever I needed it?"

He nodded.

"Just, well, did you mean this? Marrying me, taking on my daughter?"

"I always wanted it," he confessed

"You what?" Monica demanded.

"I've always had this little crush on you – and lately it's gotten bigger." Chandler blushed and spoke shyly. He always found it hard to talk about his inner feelings. 

"Really? Cos I've always had a crush on _you_," Monica laughed. "And you're cute when you're embarrassed," she added. 

They kissed, only breaking away when their daughter protested. She gave a soft whimper, and Monica lifted the baby to her breast. Chandler looked on. After a few minutes, he spoke.

"I meant it, you know," he told her. 

She looked up, puzzled. "Meant what?"

"What I said a few months ago," he assured her. "I'll be there for you."

The end. So, I hope you liked that – I think it was probably the weakest part of this story, but still. I do have some other ideas for more stories though, so keep your eyes peeled. Isn't that an awful expression – _eyes peeled_? Oh well… Just look out for my next stories.


	10. Epilogue - Looking Back

**I'll be there for you**

**Epilogue**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, they all belong to Bright, Kauffman and Crane, and I make no profit from this. I also do not own the song "I'll be there for you". I was certain I'd put this part of the story up (and ages ago, too), but I looked and saw it wasn't, so here goes. The epilogue (after a loooooong time!)_**

**_This is dedicated to my grandad, who died two years ago on Valentine's Day. We all love and miss you.  _**

"It's a girl!" cried Susan, running into the waiting room. Ross got up and raced into the delivery room to congratulate Carol, but the others stayed in the waiting room, congratulating a happy new mother on the birth of her daughter.

In the eight years since Jenna Bing was born, a lot had happened. Two more weddings in the gang, five more births, and each of them (except one) had been just as exciting as that first wedding and birth, long ago now.

* * *

The second wedding had been, obviously, Ross and Rachel's. They had married on Monica and Chandler's first anniversary – a cute little idea of Phoebe's. Why not all share the same wedding anniversary? However, Rachel had insisted on a big, fancy wedding. So they had the white flowing dress, the big church, the three-tiered cake, all of the $10,000 wedding that Rachel had dreamt of since she was young. Rachel Green became Rachel Gellar in style.

The wedding had been perfect; no one made any mistakes, one-year-old Jenna didn't cry, Ben the ring bearer didn't fall over once, and the happiness was rounded off by Monica's announcement at the end. She and Chandler were having a baby. 

Eight-and-a-half months later, Monica was taking Jenna out for a walk before going to Central Perk to meet Phoebe and Rachel. As she pushed Jenna in her stroller, she felt a sharp pain in her large middle, but ignored it. If it _was_ labour, she probably had ages to go yet – when she had Jenna, she'd been in labour for almost 24 hours, hadn't she? She sat down on a bench to give Jenna a cookie.

Ten minutes and two inquisitive strangers later, it became obvious that she didn't have any time to waste. The contractions were coming almost every thirty seconds, and she just knew her water was going to break any moment. As she spotted Rachel across the street, she called out, the pain masking her voice. Rachel turned to see Monica screaming on a bench, Jenna next to her.

Fifteen minutes later, Monica was in an ambulance with Rachel (Phoebe had Jenna), pushing as hard as she could. By the time they reached the hospital, she was almost a mother again. Chandler ran in just in time for the birth of his daughter, Janie Amelia Bing.

* * *

Carol, Susan and Ross proudly showed off their first daughter as a "parenting team". Her name was Rosie Josephine Willick – Ross had never got there on the surname front. But neither had Susan, to his supreme satisfaction. It had taken eight years of fertility treatment for Rosie to arrive, and in those eight years, Carol and Susan had become much closer to the gang. So much so, that they gave Joey his way with Rosie's middle name. And Rosie was the nearest name Carol could find to sound like Ross.

Showing off her daughter, Carol was like any other new mom. So was Susan. And Ross was like any new dad, partly because he knew Rachel wouldn't mind. Rosie wasn't his first daughter, but she was his first daughter with Carol, and a child he had waited a long time for.

* * *

The third wedding had been Joey's. He had married a girl whom he met on a blind date. A heavily pregnant Rachel had accepted an invitation to some opera with her boss's English niece, but had had to postpone it when she went into labour. Instead of letting Emily Waltham down, she had convinced Joey to take her out, and they had become great friends. They then became lovers all in one night, and grew tired of Emily flying back from London every week, so decided to marry. After six weeks, they married in New York (not London, as the Waltham family wanted) so that a heavily pregnant Phoebe could be there. Phoebe had been pregnant with her brother's surrogate triplets, Frank Jr. Jr., Lesley and Chandler (who ended up being a girl). They were born three weeks later.

In a strange coincidence, Ross had named his newborn daughter Emily Julia Gellar, but they settled for calling the baby Julia when it seemed obvious that Emily was a permanent addition to the gang. Four-year-old Jenna and two-year-old Janie were fascinated with their cousin, and told their mother that they wished they had a baby around. That was all it took for Monica to get broody, and Thomas Grenville Bing arrived after nearly a year.

That made Emily and Joey broody, and their daughter Olivia came just over a year after Thomas. "Like stepping stones," Chandler had joked. Joey had become worried. 

"No one's going to tread on my baby!" he had panicked, until Emily told him that Chandler didn't mean it literally.

* * *

Phoebe was holding Rosie now, a sleeping Rosie. Carol was also asleep, and Phoebe and Rachel were in the nursery. "Doesn't seem long since we were last in here, does it?" Rachel asked, stroking Rosie's hand.

"Two years, Rachel," Phoebe remarked. "With me."

* * *

Phoebe had been six months pregnant, pregnant with a fatherless child. Scientist David had been killed in an explosion in his lab, and Phoebe was left to raise his unborn son – whom she had named Davie. He had been conceived during the only ever trip from Minsk to the USA – in 2000, unfortunately after an argument with Joey. She was babysitting for Julia, now two, and had been reading to her until naptime. When the little girl fell asleep, Phoebe began to talk to her bump.

"Hello, little foetus!" she told him. "Well, I guess you're not a foetus any more, I don't get science, not like your daddy, Davie. Ooh, big kick, well done. Hey!" She stopped as the baby gave a very hard kick, and she sat down. "Something doesn't feel right. I feel kinda floopy, baby, don't do that again, huh?" The baby responded with another kick, and Phoebe felt a sudden gushing feeling between her legs. "That's not supposed to happen."

Thirty minutes later she was in the hospital with Joey, Emily, Rachel and Monica. Ross had stayed with the sleeping Julia, and Chandler was looking after his children and Olivia. Lying in a hospital bed, she was told the worst. Her waters had broken; baby Davie had a fifty-fifty chance. He was going to have to be delivered by C-section.

After another thirty minutes, she was alone, holding a tiny, barely breathing Davie in her arms. They had taken him out of his incubator to say goodbye to his mom. She kissed the tiny body for one last time, and felt him shudder and take a last breath. She clutched the body, shaking with sobs, feeling as though she had lost the love of her life twice. Everyone else had found love; everyone else was a parent – except her.

And as the rest of the gang had filtered through into Phoebe's room, and had seen her tear-stained face, they knew what had happened. They didn't need to be told. By this time, Chandler and Ross had arrived, leaving the five children with Judy and Jack Gellar. Joey led the gang into the room.

"Look, Phoebe, we're so sorry," he whispered, stroking her hair back from her face. She was still cradling the dead baby, but she buried her face in Joey's shoulder and sobbed. Emily came over as well. 

"Pheebs, t-there's something I want to say to you," she began. "See, Chandler said he made this promise to Monica when he found out she was having Jenna." Phoebe looked up. "He told her that he would always be there for her. And, see, I might not have known you for the longest, and I might not be your best friend, but I think you're a great person, and I just want to say that we will always be there for you, Phoebe. You might not have David, or your son, but you will have us. We promise that."

"We will always be there for you," Monica agreed. And, one by one, they all repeated the oath, even Phoebe.

**__**

**_I'll be there for you_**

_So no one told you life was gonna be this way_

_Your job's a joke, you're broke,_

_Your love life's D.O.A_

_It's like you're always stuck in second gear,_

_And when it hasn't been your day, your week, your month_

_Or even your year…_

_I'll be there for you_

_When the rain starts to pour_

_I'll be there for you_

_Like I've been there before_

_I'll be there for you_

_Cos you're there for me too…_

**_So I hope you all liked the ending, even if it did take forever to appear. I know it's not much, but hey… can you review? Thanks! _**


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